There has been plenty of comments/critisicism recently on this forum about the lack of consideration shown by a boat anglers spoiling other peoples sport when afloat. I experienced this myself yesterday with one slight difference....I was bank fishing. During the course of the day I had to put up with boats anchored no more than 30 yards out and fishing towards the bank. As well as limiting bank anglers the amount of water they can fish it stops fish cruising/feeding upwind towards the bank anglers. One boat repeatedly motored back upwind no further than 25 yards out and cut his engine directly in front of me to start his drift again. As well as trying to "poach" the fish in front of me it also disturbed any below me within casting range. One boat even went ashore amongst bank anglers to pick a mate for dinner. Constant shouting across the water to each other all day disturbing the peace and the nerves of everybody within earshot. A lot of them sat facing the wind at the back of the drifting boat without retrieving line, isn't that trolling?
I have experienced things like this before occasionally at this venue but they are definitely getting worse. If you were fishing from a boat at Toft Newton yesterday and recognise any of the things I have said and are reading this I hope you feel suitably ashamed but I somehow doubt this. At only 44 acres I feel there are too many boats on it. Jason, if you read this please consider putting up some guidelines for the boat anglers at your fishery. On yesterdays evidence they are sorely needed.

It was ever so,

There's a chapterentitled 'Envoi' in a rather good little book with a sub section titled 'Sportsmanship' and I quote ....

"Courtesy on the water costs little and a moments thoughtlessness can ruin someone else's sport for half an hour. It is not easy to forecast exactly where a boat will drift but it is very easy to take the long way round and avoid disturbing the water downwind. It is equally easy to avoid disturbing bank fishermen."

Published in 1983, not much has changed since this was written by one of our forum contributors.

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[I]"I still don't know why I fish or why other men fish, except that we like it and it makes us think and feel."[/I] Roderick L Haig-Brown

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I too have had similar experiences from the bank. There's one particular stretch of reservoir I have fished where the bank is so steep it can only be accessed at one particular point. Guess where the boats were anchored. I had a long walk!

But credit to the chap who motored past me, oblivious, and when he realised how close he was he apologised profusely. At least I knew I was well hidden from the trout too.

The worst sort I have had to put up with have been match anglers, who seem to think that they have some sort of importance.

I have had match anglers fish well within the 50 yards thay are supposed to keep to from bank anglers. I have had match anglers curse me for fishing at anchor. I had every right to fish at anchor, it is a method that is not against the rules of most reservoirs.

Match anglers seem to think that they are special. They seem to think that they own the reservoir.

They have got to understand that they don't own the water and the sooner that match anglers realise that they belong to the lower order of fly fishers, the better!



---------- Post added at 06:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:45 PM ----------

Oh and buy the way, I have just returned from a nice day at Toft.

I sincerely hope that in future match anglers are banned at this lovely ressie with it's top class trout.

We don't need them!

I don't know you but that is the most infurating statement I have ever read on here! Why don't you go and boil yer heed, you ill informed troll.

I don't even begin to understand people like you

I am not saying that all these things don't go on but the behaviour of some bank anglers is questionable at best.

Lindsay Simpson

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Ron
Please note I haven't fished in a competition for nearly 20 years.

I accept that anchoring is allowed by those fisheries where from time to time I take a boat, but anglers who hog the hot spots by anchoring up are nothing but a pain in the bum and show just as little consideration for other anglers afloat as some boat anglers show the person fishing the bank.

OB

Again a match angler exhibiting rudeness.

I have nothing against fly fishing match anglers, only what they do, which is bloody well awful if you ask me!

If they didn't think they were something special, which they do, I wouldn't have typed this post.

I think Spruce did Ron.

I think you have been the one provoking this kind of statement, I don’t apologise I find your broad brush statement rude. I am indeed a comp angler but like to think I give other water users the respect they deserve. Some however deserve no such thing.

I fished the AAWI heat at Pitsford this year and had the unfortunate experience of watching a bank angler drag a fish from the water all the way up the bank 50 yards to the back of his landrover. All the time his dog harried and snapping at the fish. After several minutes the angler eventually found a priest and dispatched the fish. Acceptable behaviour, I think not.

I have been drifting on more than one occasion and boats have come and anchored not 30yards in front of me. Acceptable behaviour, I think not.

I have seen boats drifting into the bank and catching fish in International matches quite happily until a bank angler walks 200m up the bank and waves them away. Acceptable behaviour, I think not.

So before you berate boat users and make broad brush statements, you should think on. There are no innocent parties boat, bank anchored we are all as bad or good as each other some have just got more consideration than others, regardless of how they like to fish.

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As long as they don't fish silly bloody matches for bits of utterly useless EPNS.

You would be better off playing darts or even tiddleywinks, rather than using a living creature to gain points in a fruitless exercise that is totally unnecessary in these enlightened times.